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No. 625,4l3. Patented may 23, |899. w. PmcE.

MANUFACTURE 0F TILES.

lApplicaton 1 ed Feb. 17, 189B.)

5 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 625,4l3. Patented may 23, |899. w. PRICE.

-MANUFACTURE F TILES.

[Application led FebA 17, 1898.)

5' Sheets-Sheet 2.

[No Model.)

w EEEEE E Ejluf 1' z Nonms wmzns coA PHO-m-L'lma., wAsummcn. c. n

No. 625,413. Patented May-23, |899.

w. PRICE. MANUFACTUHE 0F TILES.

(Application Bled Feb. 17, 1898.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model) IUZEUDI/ No. 625,4I3. Patented May 23, |899. W. PRICE.

MANUFACTURE 0F TILES..

[Application led Feb. 17, 1808.)

(No Modal.) 5 Sheets-Sheet-4.

f\' i` gm i FL* m; Noam: PETERS no.. Pnofonmn., WASHINGTON, A c.

No. 625,443. Patented may 23, |899.

w. PmcE.

MANUFACTURE 0F TILES.

(Application med Feb. 17, 189e.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

wo.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

vIO

UNITED STATES PATENT FEICE.

WILLIAM PRICE, or LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

MANUFACTURE OF TILS;

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 625,413, dated May 23, 1899.

Application filed February 17, 1898. Serial No. 670,687, (No model.)

T0 all whom- Ilt 71u03/ concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PRICE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Liverpool, inthe county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Tiles, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to the manufacture of tiles and similar articles having at the back undercut recesses for rendering the fixing and holding of them perfectly secure against a wall or ceiling. It is designed to form a much better and more complete dovetail and undercut than has been possible hitherto and to render impossible the spoiling or damaging of the undercuts when removing the tiles from the die or mold.

In carrying my invention into effect the die which is to form the front or face of the tile is of any suitable or ordinarjT construction. The other die, which is to form the back of the tile, is provided with auxiliary dies or formers, which form the undercut recesses or dovetails in the tile. These auxiliary dies are arranged in pairs and project above the face of the main die to an extent corresponding to the depth of the recesses to be formed in the back of the tiles, the arrangement being such that when the tile-press is operated to compress the loose dust or plastic material with which the mold has been filled the Aauxiliary dies make a depression in the tiles Y lateral or expanding movement is utilized to form the dovetails or undercuts on two opposite edges of each ofthe recesses in the back of the tile. In the reverse movement of the tile-press the two parts of each pair of auxiliary dies contract or move toward each other, so as to free them from the undercuts in the tiles and enable thelatter to be removed from the die without in the slightest degree damaging the projecting edges of the undercuts or other parts of the tile.

The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the die that is utilized to form the back of the tile with auxiliary dies in elevation, the die and backing being in this case compressed together as in the act of pressing the earthy material in the mold; Fig. 2, a plan of same; Fig. 3, an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. fi, a longitudinal section of the die and backing separated from each other'by the springs; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section of the main die 5 Fig. 6, a detail View of one of the auxiliary dies that form the undercuts in the back of the tiles; Fig. '7, a perspective View of the Linder side of a tile; Fig. 8, a plan of a slightly-modified form of main die; Fig. 9, a fragmentary section on line y; Fig. 10, a detail View of one of the auxiliary dies adapted for this modiiied form of main die; Fig. ll, a detail View of a plunger arrangement for raising the die a certain distance independently of the backing.

A is the main die that forms the back of the tile and which is exactly fitted into the interior of the mold, and B a block or foundation on which the die A is mounted and to which a plunger or upright rod is secured at C. The plunger-block has truncated wedges b projecting from the face thereof, and the die A, with wedge-shaped cavities a, through which the truncated Wedges l) project, leaving inclined spaces between.

D are the auxiliary dies or formers, which are arranged in pairs and project above the face of the main die A to an extent corresponding to the depth of the recesses to be formed in the back of the tiles. Their opposite edges are chamfered to form the undercuts and are provided with arms or sliders cl, which are fitted into the passages between A and b, so that they shall converge toward each other in such a manner that if the die A be separated from I3 the two dies constituting each pair shall move toward or away from each other, and thus constitute an expanding or contracting movement.

E are dovetail keys or cotters which engage in dovetail grooves e in the sliding faces of the truncated wedges b and in dovetail grooves cl in the sloping faces ot' the arms or sliders d in such manner as to secure the auxiliary dies to the truncated wedges, while permitting a sliding movement thereof.

F are springs which tend normally to separate the die A from the foundation B. The

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die A and foundation I3 are coupled together by plates G and screws H and I, vertical slots being provided, however, in theplate G at J to permit of the die moving vertically a limited distance independent of the foundationblock. The main die A is provided with abutments K, which engage groove L in the auxiliary dies D and which prevent their sliding independently of the die A, while freely permitting lateral movement.

An apparatus of this kind provides special facilities for allowing the air to escape from the mold.

The operation is very simple. is filled with powder in a loose state and compressed by the top and bottom dies, preferably with a gentle pressure at first, to allow the air which is contained in the powder to es'c'ape, but augmented to a great force, so as to press the earthy material into vastly less space than it occupied when it was in a state of loose powder. The bottom die A at the commencement of the operation is separated from the backing or foundation B by the springs F in the manner indicated in Fig. 4.. In this position the auxiliary dies D make a depression in the tiles to the required depth; but as the pressure is augmented to compress the earthy material in the mold the die A is forced against the backing B, compressing the springs and imparting to the auxiliary dies D in each pair a lateral or expanding movement in opposite directions. This lateral or expanding movement forms the dovetails or uudercuts in two opposite edges of each of the recesses in the back of the tile, and this lateral movement compresses the earthy material laterally at and about the dovetails into a compact and solid mass, and thus insures the dovetails being free from faults or imperfections. Vhen the auxiliary dies are expanded, the ends of the truncated wedges are fiush with the faces thereof. In the reverse movement of the tile-press the part A separates from the part B as the pressure on the compressed material in the mold is relaxed, and the two parts of each pair of auxiliary dies D contract or move toward each other and so free themselves from the undercuts in the tiles without in the slightest degree damaging the projecting edges of the undercuts. The compressed material can then be removed from the mold in a solid body'M, retaining the exact shape and form given to it by the dies and possessing sufficient coherence to enable it to endure as much handling as is requisite to convert it into the state of biscuit.

In the modification shown in Fig. ll the base B is provided with a socket N, terminating in a wall orabutment O. Slidinglyseated inthe socket is a head Q, carrying a spindle R, which projects through an orifice in the wall O and is screwed into the die A, which it operates. The head Q is operated by the plunger P, which is screwed into the same.

The mold A spring F, which in this modification is shorter than in the other form of the device, is seated within the socket N around the spindle R and bears l at its opposite ends against the wall O and head Q. This spring, which is normallydistended, serves normally to force the head Q outward and draw the die A down into its receiving-cavity in the base B, thus serving to maintain the auxiliary dies D normally expanded. In operating this form of the device the head is pressed inward by the plunger toward the wall O and against the action of the spring, which is thus compressed. This action causes the spindle to force the main die away from the backing, which movement contracts the auxiliary dies D. The mold is then filled with material, the plunger is released, and the spring again expands automatically, returning the parts to their normal positions, as in Fig. 1l, thus expanding the auxiliary dies and pressing the material into shape. After the tile has properly formed and set the plunger is again operated to press the head inward, thus forcing the die A away from its backing and contracting the auxiliary dies, as before described, when the tile may be readily removed.

In the above description I have described my invention more especially as applied to the lower die; but it is obvious that it could be applied equally well to the upper die in case the upper die is the die which is to form the back of the tile. In that case the springs aforesaid may, if desired, be dispensed with, as the weight of the die A will act toseparate the backing B and die A when the plunger is raised.

A slight modification of the die A for forming the back of the tile and one of the auxil-' iary dies D therefor is set forth in Figs. S, 9, and 10, these being especially useful for use as a top die when such are employed for forming the back of the tile, and this construction renders the apparatus very strong and rigid and prevents any possibility of the auxiliary dies D falling out or getting out of the square. It comprises the die A, with Wedge-shaped cavities a,throu gh which the truncated wedges of the backing project. The abutments and grooves previously described are dispensed with, and in place thereof I provide the die A with fianges S and in the flanges vertical grooves T. Furthermore, the auxiliary dies D are' separated from their sliders CZ by pins II, arranged to register with the grooves Tin the flanges. There are also grooves Vin the flanges to allow clearance for the cotters E. Theflanges S of the die are received by the spaces between the auxiliary dies D and the sliders d, while the pins U couple the dies and sliders together and work laterally in the grooves. The exact distance of the dies from the sliders can be adj usted to a nicety by the pins U, and thus should the face of the die A become worn, so as to reduce the thickness of the fianges S, these pins can be adjusted IOO IIO

accurately and the auxiliary dies and their sliders brought nearer together to take up the wear.

It is obvious that I do not necessarily coniine myself to the projections b being made in the form of truncated wedges, as these may be made of a rounded or oval section or any other suitable shape. If made of oval section, the cavities a in the die A and the arms or sliders of the auxiliary arms D are made to correspond.

I declare that what I claim is-A l. In apparatus for the manufacture of tiles and similar articles having undercut recesses therein, the combination of a backing or foundation plate having truncated wedges' projecting from the face thereof, a die mounted on this backing having wedge-shaped cavities through which the truncated wedges proj ectleavin g inclined spaces between,auxiliary dies or formers having arms or sliders which are tted into the inclined passages aforesaid and keyed to the sloping faces of the truncated wedges in such a manner as to secure the auxiliary dies to the wedges while permitting sliding movement, whereby if the die be separated from the backing the two auxiliary dies constituting each pair will move simultaneously toward or away from each other and thus constitute an expanding or contracting movement substantially as described.

2. In a device for manufacturing tiles or the like, the combination with the main dies, of auxiliary dies operated thereby, a backing in which the main die is seated, a spring tending normally to hold said die down to its seating to expand the auxiliary dies, and means for moving said main die away from the backing at will, to contract the auxiliary dies, sub-a I stantially as described.

3. In a device for manufacturing tiles or the like, the ,combination with the main die, of auxiliary dies operated thereby, a backing in which the main die is seated, a spring tending normally to hold said die down to its seating to expand the auxiliary dies, a socket formed in the backing coincident with the main die, a head slidingly seated in said socket, means for operatively connecting the head with the main die, and means for. operating said head to move the die away from the backing at will to contract the auxiliary dies, substantially as described.

4. In a device for manufacturing tiles or the like, the combination with the main die7 of auxiliary dies expanded or contracted thereby, a backing in which the main die is seated, a socket formed in the backing in rear of the main die, a head slidingly seated in said socket, a spindle carried by said head and connecting the same with the main die, a nora mally-expanded spring situated in the socket between the head and main die and tending normally to hold the die to its seating to expand the auxiliary dies, and a plunger for operating the head to compress the spring and force the main die away from its backing to contract the auxiliary dies, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 10th day of January,l898, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM PRICE. IVitnesses:

G. C. DYMoND, J oHN MCLACHLAN. 

